ANN ARBOR -- Derrick Walton Jr., a Detroit native, is slated for his first taste of the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry on Saturday. How much he can play and whether he’s back in the Michigan starting lineup remains to be seen.

Walton came off the bench for the first time his 18-game career in U-M’s 75-67 win over No. 10 Iowa on Wednesday. The freshman point guard developed flu-like symptoms in the days leading up the game and missed practice.

Walton, meanwhile, attempted to enter the game. But he struggled, playing only three minutes.

“In the first half, I could just tell (Walton wasn’t feeling well),” Albrecht said after the game. “I think he was grabbing his stomach and he told the coaches actually to come get him (out of the game). So I was like, OK, well I guess I’m the guy the rest of the way.”

Beilein said Friday that Walton practiced “a little bit” on Thursday.

“He did some things yesterday and said he felt fine,” Beilein said. “I’ll know more after today’s practice. Hopefully he’ll be fine.”

Michigan will meet the third-ranked Spartans on Saturday in East Lansing (7 p.m., TV: ESPN).

Walton recently registered the best three-game stretch of his 18-game career. He scored 11, 10 and 16 points on 12-for-19 shooting a handed out eight assists against Northwestern, Nebraska and Penn State, while averaging 29.7 minutes per game.

In the following game at Wisconsin, Walton scored two points and dished two assists in 31 minutes.

He’s averaging 7.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 25.0 minutes per game for the season.

If Walton can go for Michigan, the flu will be the least of his worries. Michigan State’s Breslin Center is one of the most hostile home courts in the Big Ten. The atmosphere has overwhelmed many visiting freshmen.

Beilein hopes previous road trips this season to Iowa State, Duke and Wisconsin, three of the tougher venues in the country, has Walton and fellow freshman Zak Irvin well prepared.

“Each freshmen that you have, you have no idea how they’re going to react to these situations,” Beilein said. “They’re not all the same, but (Walton and Irvin) have had probably two or three more games of this that they wouldn’t have had (other seasons).

“Zak Irvin could come off and hit four (3-pointers) in a row like he did at Minnesota. He can do those things. At the same time, they might be normal freshmen. We’re hoping they’re a little bit different this time.”